Judge Thumb, or, Patent sticks for family correction, warranted lawful! [graphic].Gillray, James, 1756-1815, printmaker[27 November 1782]engJudge Buller of King's Bench, is shown walking towards the right in his judicial robes, carrying two bundles of sticks, each terminating in the shape of a thumb. To the rear and on a smaller scale is a man beating his wife with one of the judge's implements. Buller was reputed to have ruled that a wife could legitimately be beaten provided the stick used by her husband was no thicker than his thumbTitle etched below image.Printmaker from British Museum catalogue.Originally published with the imprint: Pubd. Novr. 27th, 1782, by E. D'Achery, St. James's Street.Sheet trimmed within plate mark.Temporary local subject terms: Sticks: fascines -- Laws: wife-beating ruled lawful.1 print : etching on wove paper, hand-colored ; sheet 35.6 x 27.1 cm.Sheet trimmed to plate mark on upper and lower edges.Mounted on leaf 48 of volume 1 of 12.